Internal-combustion engine.



APPLICATION FILED SEPT. Z5, 1913. y

G. I. AMEY.

INTERNAL GOMBUSTION ENGINE.

Patented Nov. 10,1914. (s 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

C. I. AMEY. INTERNAL GOMEUSTION ENGINE. APPLICATION FILED SEPT.25, 1913.

1, 1 1 6,78 1 Patented Nov. 10, 1914.

Y 7 35 3/3 J. u M

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UNITED Y, sTATEs PATENT oEEIoEG CLEMENT I. AMEY, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO WARNER A. OLSEN, OF

' COLUMBUS, OHIO.

INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 1o, 1914.

T0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, CLEMENT I. AMEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Columbus, in the county of Franklin and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Internal-Combustion Engines, of which the following is a specification.

My. invention relates to internal combustion engines of the rotary type.

In carrying outmy invention, I have accepted in a general manner the principle of operation of the reciprocating engine, my invention residing mainly in providing a structure for applying these well known principles to the rotary type of engine.

One of the salient objects of my invention resides in the provision of a compression mechanism operable to compress each charge of explosive mixture before the same is fired. Preferably, I introduce this charge under normal pressure after the same is compressed the correct amount and then fired. This compression mechanism is desirably positively driven at all times and in this manner an evenly balanced and elflcient engine may be provided.

Another object of my invention resides in the peculiar structure adapted for causing the vanes used in my type of engine to travel in their predetermined paths. caused these vanes to be positively moved, this being accomplished preferably by the use of a cam trackway.

Other objects of my invention become more apparent after a detailed description of the accompanying sheets of drawings, in which ysimilar characters of reference designate corresponding parts, and in which:

Figure 1 is a vertical central section of my improved gas engine, Fig. 2 is a section taken on line 2--2 of Fig. 1 and looking in the direction of the arrows, Fig. 3 is a section taken on line 3 3 of Fig. 1 and looking in the direction of the arrows, Fig. 4 is a view in perspective of the rotor used by me, Fig. 5 is a view in perspective of a portion of the compression mechanism, and, Fig. 6 is a view in perspective of the type of vane used by me.

In carrying out my invention I have proy vided an elliptical casing 1, preferably water jacketed as at 2 and provided with water inlet and outlet pipes 3 and 4 respectively. Thiselliptical casing is also provided with cap plates 5 and 6 identical in construction, with the exception that one is right hand and the other is left hand, these plates following the general contour of the casing itself and held bolted thereon by any suitable number of bolts 7. It will be noted that the `Water jacket of the casing itself is also continued through the cover plates 5 and 6, therefore, these plates must be clamped to the casing in a manner to facilitate the ready circulation of the cooling water. Both cover plates are provided with bearings 8 for the rotatable reception of a central power shaft 9. Upon this shaft is securely keyed a cylindrical rotor 10 of symmetrical construction and provided with a series of slot guideways 11. It will be noted that, owing to the elliptical nature of the casing 1 and the cylindrical nature of the rotor, chambers'lQ and 13 are formed. Operating within each of the slots 11 is a vane 11 having a flat front wall 15 and provided at its rear with projecting lugs 16 preferably of some hardened material, for a purpose to be hereinafter referred to. It is calculated that relative movement between the rotor and the casing, will cause a`suction suliicient to draw a charge into the lower half of the chamber 12 through the intake pipe17, this charge being compressed and fired by mechanism to be described and finally exhausting through an outlet pipe 18. l

Each of the cover plates 5 and 6 is provided with cam trackways 19 concentric with the internal Wall of the chamber 1. The hardened projections 16 of the vanes are adapted to engage these trackways, from which it will be apparent that, aside from the tendency of the centrifugal force caused by rotation of the rotor to throw these vanes outwardly, they are positively forced in this direction by their engagement with these cams. As the rotor rotates, the charge within the lower half of the chamber 12 will be transferred to the upper side and continued rotation will force this charge over into the upper half of the chamber 13l through the clearance space 2() provided upon the inner wall of the casing. After this entire charge' has been transferred to` this point, the compression mechanism is set into operation. This compression mechanism comprises a compression plate 21 arcuate in form and pivoted at its rear end at a point approximately in line with a vertical planepassingA through the center, by a pin 22. The rear wall of the plate 21 is provided with a pocket 23, in which is adapted to Work a link 24, pivoted to the compressor plate by a pin 25 in any suitable manner. The opposite end of this link 24 is pivotally connected at 26 to a pusher rod 27 operating through the top of 'the casing and held against possible leakage by means of a stuing box 28. The extreme outer end of this pusher rod is guided by means of the bracket 29 rigidly secured to the casing, whereby this pusher rod is given a true lineal movement by the actuating mechanism. This actuating mechanism comprises a cross rod 30 rigidly attached to the pusher rodbetween the bracket 29 and the stuffing box 28 and pivotally attached at 31 to eccentric.rods These eccentric rods are driven by means of pinions 33 keyed to the main drive shaft 9 by means of an eccentric pin 34 upon intermeshing pinions 35 secured to the outer walls of the cover plates by means shown at 36. It will, therefore, be apparent that rotation of the shaft 9 will impart an oscillatory movement to the compressor plate 21 through the action of the eccentric pin 34 and the mechanism connected thereto. The ratio between the pinion 35 and the gear 36 is four to one, whereby the compressor plate is made to-oscillate four times to each complete revolution of the main shaft and, therefore, after the explosive mixture has entered the upper half of the chamber 13, the compressor plate is made to assume a position contiguous with the outer surface of the rotor, 'as shown in F ig. 1, whereby the charge will be materially compressed and it is at thisA point that the same is red by means of the spark plug 37 suitably located in the casing for this purpose. It will be apparent that the effect of this explosion must be upon one of the vanes 14 inasmuch as these vanes are movable and the end-wall of the compressor plate 21 is immovable as far as rotation about the shaft 9- is concerned. Therefore, each explosion for each quarter revolution of the rotor will cause a rotative impulse acting through" a leverage equal to half the diameter of the interior of the casing.

trouble. "-that fthe engine as a whole'may bevery 6G H .perform the Afunction of a ily wheel. The

From the above description, it will be apparent that I have provided a rotary engine in which the'casing proper forms the compression chamber and which is free from all 'types of valvesl frequently the soprce of Further, the lconstruction 1s such 'evenly balanced and the rotor itself used to -ginemay be'mounted. in-any desired manff""' n e"r"but in using the same in connection with "motor vehicles 5 projecting ears shown broken;awa". at 38 will sufce. Further,

the compressionvmechanism is such that each charge is positively, compressed and the compressor plate maintained in its compressing position a sufficient time for the explosive forces .to act upon its end walls and be subsequently transferred to the vanes. Added to the centrifugal' force which will naturally throw these vanes outwardly to firmly engage the inner wall of the casing, the cams 19 also insure this movement, while the casing itself will positively force the vanes inwardly.

`What I claim, is:

1. A rotary explosive engine comprising a casing member and a rotor member, one of which is elliptically and the other cylindrically formed to provide chambers between `the two, one of said members' being adapted to rotate with respect to the other, vanes carried by the rotatable member and adapted to draw a charge of gas into one of the chambers between said members, a compression 'plate located in one of the chambers formed by said two members, means for actuating said plate to decrease the size of said chamber and compress the charge therein and firing means. 2. A rotary explosive engine comprising an elliptical casing, a cylindrical rotor adapted to rotate within said casing, said casing and said rotor coperating to form chambers between them, vanes carried by said rotor and adapted to draw in a charge of gas, a compressing plate carried by Said casing adjacent one of the chambers formed by said casing and said rotor, means for moving said plate toward and away from said rotor to compress the charge in said chamber, and firing means. I

3. A rotary explosive engine comprising an elliptical casing, a cylindrical rotor adapted to rotate within said casing, said casing and said rotor coperating to form chambers between them, vanes carried by said rotor and adapted to draw in a charge of gas, a compressing plate carried by sald casing adj acet one of the chambers formed by said casing and said rotor, means for moving saidplate toward and away from said rotor to compress the charge in said chamber, means for positively keeping the vanes in engagement with sald plate While the plate is 1n motion and as the vanes move said casing and said rotor coperating ter form chambers between-them` vanes carried by said rotor normally in engagement with the inner wall of said casing, means for introducing a charge between Said rotor and vanes carried by said rotor normally in engagement with the inner wall of said casing, means for introducing a charge between said rotor and sald casing by rotation of said ro- "tor, a compression 'plate pivotally mounted in said casing, means for oscillating said plate to compressthe charge, and firing means.A

7. A rotary explosive engine comprising an elliptical caslng, a cylindrical rotor,

vanes carried by said rotor, a cam for maintaining said vanes 1n engagement with the inner wall of said casing, means for introducing a charge between said casing and said rotor by rotation of said rotor, a compression plate pivotally mounted in said casing, means positively driven to oscillate said plate to compress the charge, and tiring means. y

In testimony whereof I aix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

, oLEimNT I, AMEY.

Witnesses: y

" WALTER E. L. BooK,

C. C. SHEPHERD. 

